Gil Meche retires, says "I don't deserve $12 million"... (1 Viewer)

[crosswatt]

Okay, Gil Meche hasn't been great since signing a big contract with the Kansas City Royals. But not many players would feel so badly about their performance that they would walk away from a guaranteed $12 million.

Meche announced last week he will retire, giving up the payday due on the last year of his deal. Meche has always been known for his integrity, according to The New York Times, but this move left the baseball world stunned. Meche said he just didn't like the idea of not earning his keep.

“When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it,” Meche told the paper from his temporary home in Lafayette, La. “Once I started to realize I wasn’t earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I didn’t want to have those feelings again.”

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[geauxboy]

WOW! That's awesome. But, if he feels as if he didn't earn it this past year, does that mean he'll give that money back too?

 

[gavinj]

Gil needed somebody close to him to give him a little perspective on this deal. There are very few people in this world who actually deserve a 12 million dollar salary. And those are usually the people who dont make squat. You throw a leather ball for a living, dude. Just take the money and run 'cause you were never going to "deserve" it. Just be thankful for your good fortune and donate the money to charity if you dont want it.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

lots of people will admire the guy for this, and say he's a good example for hard-working Americans-- but i think he's a moron.

 

[gavinj]

lots of people will admire the guy for this, and say he's a good example for hard-working Americans-- but i think he's a moron.

I wouldn't go so far as to say he's a moron, but yeah, high character/low intelligence. He feels like he deserved the first 50 million, just not the next 12. C'mon man, take the money and give it to families with kids with cancer or something - don't give it back to the Wal-Mart CEO guy, sheesh. There is risk involved with every sports contract, they offered it to Gil knowing the risks and accepting them.

 

[Crzycjunx76]

lots of people will admire the guy for this, and say he's a good example for hard-working Americans-- but i think he's a moron.

If you convinced someone to pay you that much... then you earned it.

 

[BHM]

I could have easily equaled his 2007 season performance for half that money.